Hecate
by LiddoAiren
Summary: Ren and Ann are together. From afar, many judge them and fail to understand how a convict and so-called whore find love in each other. But neither Ren nor Ann need them to understand. All they need is each other. Series of one-shots detailing Ren and Ann's life together
1. Mornings

**First Persona fic! Hope y'all like!**

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Bright light made its way through the bedroom where the young couple slept. It moved across the floor and wall as the sun rose, soon making its way over to the sleeping student's eyes. Ren grumbled, rudely awakened by the stinging sensation in his eyes and sighing at himself for having forgotten to close the blinds last night. The last few days of exams had been brutal and while he was confident that he'd place well within the top 50 in his school, that didn't make him any less tired. Combine that with the events that had transpired _last night..._

...

Looking to his side, he saw his lover still deep in slumber. Her cream-colored locks sprawled all over the pillow they shared, some strands even making their way over to his face. She shifted slightly, moving her satin-gloved arms across his chest and brought him closer to the point where her mouth was inches away from his neck. He smiled as he watched her sleep so peacefully and moved a hand over to touch her cheek, to which she smiled gently. Looking down, he could see her red tubetop having been pushed down to reveal her breasts, bringing him back to the events of last night. He remembered her laying on his bed wearing her "Sexy Santa" costume that she had bought online, her head hanging upside-down over the edge and her arms wide open, giving him a warm welcome. He remembered teasing her about her appearance, pretending to look unimpressed and peering over her shoulder as if the window behind her was open and there was someone spying on them. Her confident exterior quickly shattering, she immediately shrieked and covered herself, giving Ren the opportunity to pounce. They then spent the rest of the night trying to make up for the time they spent apart.

She shifted once more, causing the blanket to slip down her neck. Ren quickly pulled it back up again, eager to keep her warm but also to keep the view for himself. Considering they were the reason why he was up so early, he wasn't about to give the rays the satisfaction of seeing her body.

Slightly lifting the blanket they shared, he feasted his eyes on the rest of her body from her smooth face all the way down to her naked waist. Besides her tubetop, her red high-socks and satin gloves were all that remained of her costume after last night, with the rest having been tossed all over his room.

"Mm…"

Ann's eyebrows noticeably furrowed and immediately Ren put his hand over her face to block out the light to which she relaxed again. Steeling himself, he finally removed the blanket from his side of the bed and tiptoed across the cold, hardwood floor to close the shutters while also managing to avoid whatever remnants of Ann's costume that had been tossed throughout his room. He sighed as he sat on the bed, careful not to wake her. Seeing as how he was already wide awake, falling asleep now would be a hassle. Maybe now was a good time to be productive and do something special for her. Slipping another pillow between Ann's arms to make her more comfortable, Ren quickly changed into his track pants and a T-shirt and made his way downstairs.

"Better go make breakfast…"

* * *

Ren smiled in satisfaction as the smell of fried eggs and bacon welcomed its way into his nose. A year of working for Sojiro and having several part-time jobs had done well to inspire him to become self-sufficient, and soon it didn't take long for him to be able to cook meals for himself. Even his parents were surprised to the point where they really didn't know what their roles in the house were anymore now that their son, studious as he was, now knew how to take care of things himself.

Sprinkling black pepper onto the eggs, he grabbed one and took a bite before judging the taste to be acceptable for consumption. Considering he was making this for his girlfriend, for the meal to be too salty or too bland was unacceptable.

Piling the adequate amount of eggs and bacon onto a plate to support Ann's ample appetite, he turned off the stove and tried to find a small table before feeling a pair of warm arms wrap around him from behind.

"Good morning." she yawned, evidently still fatigued.

"Good morning." Ren whispered back, turning around to face her. "You shouldn't be up so early."

Taking a good look at her, he noticed Ann had made no adjustments to herself nor her outfit, as her hair remained ruffled and chest and waist completely exposed. Instinctively, he looked around his house, trying to see if any window was left uncovered before remembering they were within his home and not the cafe, where there wasn't a huge window at the entrance. While he might've covered her in ordinary situations, seeing as how she had done this all for him, he couldn't complain especially since he enjoyed it quite a bit. Of course, he'd never say it to her outright.

Ann then shook her head, tightening her embrace. "I can't just go back to sleep after having you cook breakfast. What if it gets cold?"

"Breakfast can wait. I can just reheat it after."

Before giving her a chance to protest, Ren immediately lifted her off her feet, eliciting a small yelp from the model, and made his way upstairs with her in his arms. Ann immediately wrapped her gloved arms around his neck, desperate not to fall and leaving her chest completely exposed to him. Ren made sure to go up the stairs one step at a time, making sure to savor the gift. That is until he felt a light slap across his face.

"Don't stare. It's embarrassing." she giggled.

"Sorry, it's just the things you said last night made me think otherwise."

At those words, Ann flushed a shade of red darker than that of her clothes and gave Ren another slap to the face. Ren laughed loudly in response and hurried to the bedroom, eager to be within the warmth of her arms and a blanket. Setting her down gently, he reached down to the end of the bed and pulled the cotton blanket over the both of them, before wrapping his arms around her, protecting her from the cold air.

Ann, being the shorter of the pair, nuzzled her face into Ren's neck and before grabbing his face and pulling him into a deep kiss.

Even though her lips were soft and warm like they always were, they always somehow had a hypnotic effect on him. It was as if she had cast a charming spell on him with every kiss. It was something he could never grow tired of, and with each kiss he felt himself falling deeper in love. Overwhelmed by the feeling, Ren's eyes fluttered closed and slowly he turned his head to the side to deepen the kiss, pouring months of longing into a single kiss.

Moans slipped from out of their mouths as they both fought for dominance, both eager to show the other who loved and missed the other more. Soon, Ann felt her lungs cry out for air and eventually forced herself to break away.

Ren smirked as he watched Ann cough and avoid his gaze, unwilling to accept the fact that she had lost. That he loved and missed her more.

His smirk now replaced by a grin, he took one arm and wrapped it around her waist and used his other hand to gently stroke her hair. Ann, in return, settled on lazily drawing circles over his chest.

"I love you." the model whispered, reaching up to kiss his cheek.

"I love you more." he replied, kissing her forehead.

"No you don't."

And within that moment, everything seemed right in the world.

They continued lying within each other's arms, content with one another until a certain realization took over Ren.

"Ah, wait. I forgot something."

"Hm?"

Forcing himself to move out of the comfort that was Ann's arms, he reached from under his bed and pulled out a small red box wrapped in a ribbon.

"It's for you. I know it's a little early for a Christmas present, but I wanted to give this to you before you got called back for another shoot." he said, smiling as he handed it to her. "Open it."

She raised an eyebrow as she undid the ribbon, unsure of what could be kept in such a small box. The moment she opened it, however, she immediately grasped and placed her gloved hand over her mouth.

Ren's heart suddenly started beating faster and he clenched his fists, unsure of what the gasp meant. His mind then went back to their first date back in their second year of high school when they walked around the underground shopping mall. He vividly remembered her admiring the ring in one of the stores. Since then he had worked tirelessly to make enough money just so he could buy it for her. It certainly wasn't easy having to juggle Phantom Thief work with part-time work and school, but since it was for her, he was sure the stress from the meager hours of sleep would be worth it. Considering he hadn't told her anything about buying it, he hoped the surprise would pay off and prayed she hadn't already bought it for herself.

"Oh Ren…" she said, slipping the ring onto her gloved hand. "I love it. It's so pretty."

"Glad you like it." he said, feeling his heart settle down and giving her a deep kiss to express his love.

Both smiled at the other before moving in to touch each other's foreheads.

"What are your plans for today?" Ann asked, holding up her hand to the ceiling to showcase the ring.

"Hmm, well, other than to finish up giving you a tour of my hometown, nothing much. Why?" he replied.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Am I?"

At that moment, Ann used his chest to push herself up until she was sitting on top of him, her exposed body shown in all its glory. Before Ren could get the blanket to cover her, she immediately grabbed his hands and pinned them down on the bed.

"You honestly don't think we fully made up for the time we spent apart did you?"

No he didn't.

No he didn't.

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 **Anything you guys liked? Hated? Please don't hesitate to let me know! Apologies if you expected lemon XD. Truthfully, I'm just not brave enough.**

 **Anyway...**

 **Hello there and welcome to Hecate!**

 **As some of you may noticed, this story was once titled "Mornings" and was initially intended to be a one-shot, however, ever since receiving overwhelming support for this story from you readers and joining a discord server dedicated to Ren x Ann, I've become motivated to write more! I hope you'll enjoy reading about this pairing as much as I enjoy writing about it!**


	2. Massages

**Anything you guys liked? Hated? Please don't hesitate to let me know!**

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Ann let out a loud groan as she plopped onto the couch, pain finding ways to stick to her back no matter what position she laid. Whether she laid on her back, her side, or even face down, comfort evaded her. Coming to the conclusion that laying down wasn't going to help, she stood back up and applied pressure to her upper back, trying (and failing) to stop her back from arching further and reaching unnatural positions.

Damn photographers and their preferences!

Not even a few seconds passed when Ren appeared from from the kitchen, still wearing the pink apron she kept in her closet. If she wasn't hurting so bad, she might've complimented him, telling him he wore it well, the "Kuma" design making him look cuter than she thought was possible. Unfortunately, the pain persisted and getting rid of it took priority.

"Welcome home." he greeted with a smile, "Rough day?"

"You have no idea…" she groaned, lightly beating her back.

Ren, quickly getting the memo, removed the apron and sat on the couch, excitedly ushering her to come over and lay on his lap.

Painful as it might've been, Ann was all too happy to follow along. Making herself as comfortable as her back allowed, she took a deep breath, silently telling him she was ready.

"Tell me if it hurts, okay? I'm still new at this." he said, rubbing his hands softly over her back.

"Go for it." she sighed, already feeling her muscles relax. "Worst case scenario is you'll do nothing. Otherwise anything you do will make me feel better."

Ren chuckled, this time applying more pressure. Waves of pleasure immediately shot through her back, causing Ann to elicit soft moans, making it clear he was doing something right. He continued the process a few more times, making sure to feel for stiff areas so he could focus on loosening them. Then, using his knuckles he drew circular patterns on her back, steadily moving down to her lower back but managing to avoid going too far down before moving back up.

Ann's moans grew louder as she felt her muscles relax at his touch, a smile rapidly making its way to her face as her vision grew hazy. She had to wonder whether or not Ren really was new at this, as she couldn't find any possible way to make herself feel as good as she did. Now and then a thick string of saliva would make its way down her mouth, alerting her that she was drifting away and each time she would suck it back up. She had to stay awake in order to feel the massage in its entirety.

As Ren's hands made their way back down again, she felt it.

"A-Ah!"

Immediately she felt him pull away in shock.

"Sorry! Are you alright?" he asked, leaning over to her face.

Rather than answer verbally, she instead grabbed his hands and placed them over the sweet spot.

"Right there…" she whispered, too deep in ecstacy to use her voice.

Ren's hands pushed down on her back once again, kneading the sweet spot that she led his hands to. After a few minutes, he rolled her skin, further causing her to sink in bliss and it wasn't long before her verbal instructions dissolved into groans, moans and other sounds that were used to describe pleasure.

"M-More...a-ah!"

"..."

While he knew all the doors of the house were closed and locked, Ren still looked around and kept his ears on alert. With how loud Ann was, he was surprised no knocks from the neighbors came to the door.

"...You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" he asked, completely removing his hands from her back. To his surprise (or expectation), his lover denied it.

"N-No, please...touch me more!" she moaned, slithering on his lap. To make things worse, Ann faced back up, placing her right forearm over her forehead while slowly sliding her left hand up her body, dragging her shirt along with it. If not for Ann's quivered lips, Ren might've fallen for it.

"Yeah okay, I'm outta here."

Ann quickly exploded into a fit of giggles as she sat back up and stretched, her back muscles making audible cracks.

"That was... _amazing!_ " she gushed, wrapping her arms around her lover. "How do you do it? I haven't felt this good since forever!"

Ren smiled as a gave a quick peck to her lips. "Glad you liked it." Sliding Ann off his lap, he made his way back to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Not willing to let him go so easily, Ann latched herself to his back, wrapping her arms around his torso.

"Can you do it again?" she whispered into his ear. Seductively, as one might add.

"Can't do it all the time." he shrugged. "You'll get used to it and it won't feel good anymore."

Ann huffed and sulked, clearly not pleased by his response. Regardless, she didn't push it. Knowing Ren, the further she pushed, the further he would tease. And she hated being teased.

The rest of the time was spent in silence with Ann setting the table and Ren handling the food. Despite the silence, neither felt awkward. As they had spent almost the entire day apart, the proximity was more than enough.

"Say ahh." Ren said, holding a spoonful of fried rice near her mouth.

Closing her eyes, she opened wide, even saying "ahh" to which he moved the spoon closer. Closing her mouth, she felt the hot rice touch the roof of her mouth before chewing, tasting the concentrated umami goodness.

"Good?" he asked.

She nodded, making sure to lick her lips in front of his face. To her disappointment, he only "tsked" at her and placed a finger between her lips, once again causing her to huff. She knew it was her fault, teasing him despite knowing the consequences, but sometimes she just wished he'd stop playing hard to get once in awhile.

After setting the table, they both ate in comfortable silence, with both occasionally making remarks towards the other regarding their looks.

"Shujin Academy's midterms are coming soon, right?" Ren asked suddenly.

"Mhm. A few weeks actually." she replied. "Why?"

He hummed, nodding his head while feeding himself spoonfuls of rice. "Tell you what; if you place within the top fifty at school, I'll give you all the massages you want."

"Really? Just the top fifty?" Even for someone who often placed below the middle in her class, placing within the top fifty didn't seem so bad; especially for someone who didn't make a habit of studying.

"And…"

 _And?_

"Get first place and I'll give you something special."

"Oh? And what's so 'special' about it?" Ann asked, leaning forward.

Ren, in turn, leaned forward to meet her gaze, their inches a mere centimeters apart. "Get it first and then you'll see."

Right before their lips were about to touch Ren leaned back again to finish his rice. His smug grin telling her all she needed to know.

Ann tightly gripped her fork. So he wanted to play it that way, huh? Fine, challenge accepted.

Once again, she slowly scooped up the rice and put it to her mouth while simultaneously plotting all the methods she'd use to make him beg for her forgiveness.

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 **A little rough around the edges, I'll admit. I guess I got a little too excited and wanted to release this ASAP.**


	3. Trauma

**Anything you guys liked? Hated? Please don't hesitate to let me know!**

* * *

Something was wrong.

Ann checked her phone again, looking over her past conversations with Ren. The last time they texted one another was sometime before they attempted to take on Sae's heart.

Before he had been sold out to the police.

Rereading them, she noted them making plans to go out after everything was over. After everything had been resolved with the police.

But that was days ago. All of the texts after that day mainly consisted of her asking questions regarding his health and whereabouts with no reply.

Why was he still so quiet? When she began to worry he was ignoring her on purpose, she called on the other phantom thieves to text him to see if he would reply. However, like her, their replies were met with silence.

Had he forgotten? No, she doubted it. With their work as Phantom thieves, time for them to be together was precious. Both she and Ren understood that well, which was why the possibility was unlikely. Still, the fact that she was being left alone and in the dark didn't sit quite well with her. If anything, the days without him by her side had started to become unbearable.

And that was why she found herself outside of the cafe, her hand slowly reaching out to the door handle, but never getting close enough to grab it.

" _Relax."_ she told herself. What was she worried about? She was just trying to see if he was okay after all.

Steeling herself, she pushed herself forward and gripped the handle tightly before mustering all the force she had to pull. Once the bell rang, she immediately found herself hit with a warm breeze along with the familiar smell of coffee mixed with curry. The cafe was lit well enough, allowing its chatty customers to make their way around. From across the room, she noticed a customer raising his mug in the air, asking for a refill of coffee. In such a calming environment, she found it difficult not to smile. Turning to the counter, she noticed the owner smiling at her.

"Hello there." Sojiro greeted.

"Good morning."

"Anything I can get for you today?" he asked, setting down his newspaper and heading into the kitchen. "Coffee, curry, or both?"

"Actually I was…" she felt her body freeze, knowing she was going to mention his name. Even as she tried to force it out, her voice choked on itself. "W-wondering if you c-could tell me where...where...Ren was."

At those words, she felt the kitchen become quiet. Sojiro then appeared with a towel in hand, using it to wipe the countertop near where she sat.

"You know, I'm not quite sure to be honest." he said, turning the towel over to wipe the rest. "After the whole...incident, he hadn't left his room. He'd come down for a meal or two, but whenever customers arrived he'd get a little jumpy and finish his meal quickly before heading into his room, so I figured it best to leave him to sort things out on his own. Although…" Sojiro then paused his work, scratching his chin. "Just earlier today, he told me he needed some air and rushed out before I could say anything."

"He was jumpy?" she asked, leaning forward. During the short time they were dating, she had discovered many things about the transfer student. There were too many things...too many words she could use to describe the man, but jumpy? She wasn't sure if she even considered that to be one of them.

"Well, maybe I was putting it a little lightly. More like he fell out of his chair every time a customer came in. Eventually I had to send him back up so he would stop scaring my customers." Sojiro sighed, as if wanting to help but not knowing what to do. "When he said he needed air, I figured it was for the best. I don't know what happened to him, but maybe I thought it was better for him to experience a change in environment."

Ann slowly nodded, feeling a mixture of confusion and worry as to why Ren never told her anything, but also relief knowing that even Sojiro, literally the closest man to him, was left in the dark as well.

"Change in environment, huh?" she mumbled, looking down on the countertop.

"Are you sure you don't want anything?" the cafe owner asked. "You look like you could use a cup of coffee."

"No thanks." Ann smiled. "I better go now. I think I have an idea as to where he went." she noticed Sojiro nodding before rushing out of the cafe and heading to the subway. It was a hunch, but based on their many dates, only one place made sense.

Rushing through the neighborhood, she found herself short of breath a little too quickly. Truthfully, she really wished she had taken Sojiro up on his offer and had some coffee along with some curry. All those nights worrying, losing sleep, and even losing appetite were finally catching up to her, and she knew exactly whose fault it was. That said, she didn't want to eat alone.

Not without him.

Once she found him, she'd give him a piece of her mind.

Despite her hurry, she could never muster the resolve to rush through Inokashira Park. Lush trees and plants decorated the path she walked, and she found herself observing each and every individual plant along the way. Other families exploring the park passed her by, and she gave them a simple greeting before heading along her way.

Bringing herself back to reality, she scanned each and every person she could find, trying to find anyone who resembled her glasses-wearing lover. Her heart rate quickened as she ventured deeper into the park, scanning the incoming crowds and worrying she may have lost him in one of them.

 _Ren, where are you?_

Moving past the incoming crowds, she ventured further in and soon found herself nearly alone. She would see a few people along the way, but they headed in the direction opposite of hers. She felt her heart beat within her chest as she slowed her pace within the now-quiet park. Despite the beautiful surroundings, she felt herself being crushed within the solitude. She gripped her arm tightly, forcing herself not to remember the times when she was alone. Before he came into her life.

 _Please Ren. Please be here._

She tried to call out his name, but her throat tightened every time she tried to speak, preventing any noise from coming out. Steeling herself one more time, she took a dash of desperation, rapidly scanning everything around her as she tried to find anything that resembled a human being.

And there he was, sitting alone on a bench near the river.

While the rest of him was covered by the bench, she could see him with his head down, oblivious to the world around him. Even as she stomped towards him in an attempt to get him to turn, he didn't move.

She was short on breath, and she found her breaths the most audible as they had ever been, but she pressed on. She had to.

As she inched closer, she felt her rage flaring up. How could he? What the hell was he thinking, shutting out everyone else like that? Did they suddenly mean nothing to him? Did she mean nothing to him?

Her rage reached its peak when she found herself standing beside the bench he sat on. Even as she was right beside him, he refused to acknowledge her. On his lap laid Morgana, sleeping peacefully with his right hand slowly caressing his body as if it was routine.

She huffed as she put her hands to her hips.

"Ren." she said sternly.

Before she could react or say anything else, Ren did exactly as Sojiro described.

He jumped.

She could hear Morgana shriek as he was launched from Ren's lap and onto the dirt. A part of her felt bad for the cat, but at that moment, she could care less. Standing in front of her and behind the bench stood Ren.

His breaths were quick and ragged as he took on a ready stance as if expecting a fight. Although it only lasted a few seconds, the stress and anxiety that was plastered all over his face ingrained itself within her mind before his expressions softened up the moment he recognized her.

"Ann…" he said, hardly above a whisper. Their eyes met for a brief second before he forcefully turned away, causing her heart to sink. "Hi."

He fumbled aimlessly, looking for Morgana before realizing the black cat was under the bench. She watched as Ren shakily picked Morgana back up and repositioned him back onto his lap.

He looked terrible.

"Ren…" she started softly, realizing the state he was in.

"I'm fine." he interjected.

" _No, you're not."_ she thought, but couldn't bring herself to say it for fear that he'd snap at her.

"How'd you find me?" he asked, refusing to make eye contact.

"You haven't been returning my calls or texts…" she started. "I was getting worried so I came to see for myself." Sitting herself on the bench, she noticed him stiffen even as she sat at a distance. He eventually relaxed again, but still refused to meet her in the eye.

"Why?" she asked shakily, inching closer to him. She knew it was wrong to ask, given his current condition, but she didn't want to be left in the dark. Not when he was like this. Not when she needed him.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered. "I know I let you down. We were supposed to to make plans...to go somewhere after all of this was over but..." his head then turned to the leaves above, and she noticed him swallow as if trying to hold in his tears.

She tried to place her hand over his, but they moment they made contact he immediately pulled away, the anxious look returning for a quick moment before turning to one of sorrow.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered again, slowly placing his hand back to where it was.

"Ren, please." Ann begged, gripping his hand. "Tell me what's going on."

He stayed silent for a while, gripping her hand back as if trying to say it without falling to tears.

"Needles…" she heard him whisper. "It was dark...needles...suits..."

Dark? Needles? Suits?

She tried to form a connection. Needles and suits in darkness. Doctors? Scientists?

 _Dark, needles and suits…_

And then it came running back to her. They way he described the scene.

She remembered him saying he was cuffed to a chair.

She remembered him describing the way he was being beaten by interrogators, being injected with drugs.

She remembered him shaking throughout the entire time.

He was still hurting, and she never knew.

"Oh Ren…" Ann enveloped her lover in a tight embrace, feeling him shake within her arms. She slowly brushed his hair, trying to offer any form of comfort she could. She cursed herself as she brushed his hair, now realizing how ridiculous and unjustified her earlier rage was. How could she have been so stupid? Of course he was still suffering. Nobody, much less a high schooler, would come out unscathed after being drugged and beaten within an inch of his life. Ren wasn't invincible, and somehow she had completely disregarded that fact.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know." Her heart ached as she felt him shake, but didn't feel him cry. Even though they were together, he was still afraid to look weak in front of her. Some part of her told her even if she were to tell him to let it all out, he'd never do so. She sighed, knowing there were so many things she should've done after he had returned.

Now that he was here, she was going to make up for it.

"Do you remember the first time we came here?" she started. Ren didn't reply, but she knew he was listening. "I wanted to challenge myself to not let things get under my skin, so I told you to say all sorts of mean things to me." A smile instinctively made its way onto her face as she continued reminiscing. "First you said that I was an airhead, then you said that I was annoying, and then...do you remember what you said after?"

It took some time, but Ren soon started settling down with his shakes now becoming mere shivers. Forcing himself away from the comfort that was his girlfriend's arms, he removed his glasses to wipe his eyes before putting them back on again.

Ann noticed his tired expression, though she found relief in knowing he was getting stronger. The small smile he wore was evidence of that fact.

"It was 'I love you'." he finally replied.

Ann smiled and pecked him on the forehead.

"That's right."

"You told me I was cheating." he chuckled, bringing her closer to his side.

"You _were_." she asserted. "But when that happened, I think that's when I started seeing you differently."

She needn't say much else. Both knew their history spoke for them.

Ren took a deep breath for what seemed like the first time since the last few days and took time to observe his surroundings. Sitting in a beautiful park surrounded by lush trees, a calm river and within the arms of a woman he dearly loved.

Despite everything going on outside, he knew wouldn't trade this life for the world.

Moving her head to face him, he pressed a long kiss to her forehead, letting her know how much he loved her and how thankful he was for her.

Ann smiled in return and nuzzled his neck.

They then sat in silence, finally finding comfort within the silence and solitude. Unfortunately, not all good things lasted forever, and soon the peaceful solitude was interrupted by tourists who were all too busy marveling at their surroundings.

"I think it's time for us to go." Ann lamented, slowly standing up and stretching her body. She smirked as her shirt rose due to her stretching. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Ren feasting on her exposed midriff.

"My eyes are up here, big boy." she said, pointing to her own.

Shaking his his head, Ren chuckled and gave her a long kiss on the lips, uncaring that there were people around them.

"You wore that on purpose didn't you?"

"You'll never know. Anyway, let's go." Packing her bag, she set to head in the opposite direction of the tourists.

"You coming?" she asked, seeing Ren lag behind.

"Um…" he uttered. "You think you could...walk home with me?"

Ann froze, utterly shocked that Ren would even ask his girlfriend such a question in the first place.

Grabbing his collar, she pulled him forward and forced him into a deep kiss.

"I seriously wanna know what the hell made you think I was ever gonna let you walk home alone." she whispered into his ear.

Instead of giving her an answer, Ren pulled away from her grasp and walked towards the bench they once sat at.

"Hey, where are you going? The exit's that way!"

"Actually, during these past few days that I've been alone I…I've realized that I've missed talking to you and…"

Ann followed her boyfriend as he ventured back to the bench and took his hand before he could sit on it again. Before she could say anything, he continued.

"I...I'm scared, you know? I miss talking to you, and I...I feel like if we go home that'll stop." he let out a shaky breath as he sat back down on the bench and ushered her to take the place where she belonged.

Next to him.

"So I don't want to go home. Not yet."

* * *

 **Realized that I like this pairing way more than I thought, so I got down to writing this as soon as I could ;). I also want to get out of my comfort zone when it comes to writing as well and I felt this was the perfect story to start with so I guess you guys can look forward to some..."new" things as well ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°).**

 **Can't promise when though.**


	4. Red Velvet

**Anything you guys liked? Hated? Please don't hesitate to let me know!**

* * *

Just a few more.

Ren sighed as he stood up straight once again, stretching his back for the nth time. To make sure he didn't unintentionally ruin everything his back ached for, he took a few steps away from the counter to rest.

Despite the tiresome work, he still felt his lips curve upward as he recalled all the events that led to this moment. He chuckled lightly realizing how far he had come. Boredom was what mainly took his time during those days back then when he was home alone. Now…

His eyes then turned to the calendar. Like anyone else would, they naturally fell to the particular date that was heavily circled with marker. The words "DON'T FORGET" were written all over what remained of the november calendar. Thinking about it now, it was probably a redundant action. What kind of boyfriend would he be if he needed to be reminded?

Deciding he had rested enough, he removed himself from the counter and headed back to the cupcakes. Using the icing piping bag, he bent down and continued to decorate the rest of the red velvets. He moved about slowly, keeping the the wavy pattern of vanilla cream cheese frosting as consistent as he could. He had originally decided on just giving them a normal straight swirl, but decided she deserved better and he had no excuse to not put his all into something that came only once a year.

The things love could make a man do.

Finishing up the last red cupcake, he stood up once again and pumped his fists in the air, applauding himself for getting the most tiring part over with. Helping himself to one of the "Berry Burst Oreos" he had bought the other day, he placed the rest carefully into the cream, making sure to avoid the peaks he had worked so hard to perfect.

Finally, the candles.

…

Actually, they could wait. Considering the trip he'd have to make, it'd be best if he saved them for later. He could only pray the cakes could survive until then. Without warning, his black feline friend jumped onto the counter top, his head moving down to sniff the freshly baked sweets.

"Not for you." Ren said, quickly grabbing Morgana and placing him back onto the floor. As if it wasn't so obvious already, Morgana quickly showed his disappointment by sitting and turning the other way.

"They're for Ann." Ren clarified, "What, did you forget what day it was already?"

At those words Morgana turned to face him again, this time his sulking face was replaced with one of curiosity.

"There's a special day in November that relates to Lady Ann?"

Ren's eyes narrowed. How could Morgana, out of everyone in the world, forget this day? But then, an idea suddenly popped up in his head.

"Whatever. In that case, you can stay at home and wait." he said, trying to force back a smile.

"Wait! You're not leaving until you tell me everything! Who are they for?!"

Despite being clawed at at his feet, Ren could only laugh as he gathered the cupcakes and placed them in a round, plastic container.

* * *

He really didn't know what he was expecting upon entering the subway on a weekday. The moment the automatic doors opened, people rushed out onto the platform, either eager to get home or to reach their workplaces. He couldn't count the number of people who had bumped into him, disregarding the fact that he was carrying something fragile. Luckily for them, he was in too much of a hurry to get angry. Quickly finding a crevice within the wall of business suits, he somehow managed to squeeze himself in, raising the plastic container above his head to prevent it from being crushed like him. He spared a look of pity over to his bag, knowing Morgana wasn't faring any better than he was. If anything, he had it worse since he was the one being squeezed by both him and the other passengers.

 _Sorry Mona, you're just gonna have to tough it out._

Unfortunately, for every stop the train made to let off its passengers, around ten more came in for every passenger coming out, giving his arms hardly any space to breathe and relax. With each shake or rattle the train made, Ren felt his heart get caught in his throat as he struggled to keep the container steady in his hands while also keeping them raised.

At last, after several grueling sessions of trying to balance hours of hard work on his hands, they had reached their destination. Riding the wave and following those who also were exiting the train, both the former thief and cat breathed a long sigh of relief as they found room to breathe. A wave of comfort washed over him as he felt his muscle fibers loosening pack up again, free from the pressure of having been raised for too long. Moving to a bench, he set down the container and opened his bag to give room for his feline companion to breathe as well.

Without wasting a second, Morgana forced himself back into the outside world, wheezing and coughing as if he had been strangled for the past few minutes. Offering what little help he could, he patted Morgana's back as the sounds he made made it look like he was about to vomit. Deciding they had spent enough time resting, Ren immediately grabbed the container and made his way to the cafe. It shouldn't have been too hard as it was hardly a ten minute walk from the station.

Unfortunately, life hardly ever went one's way.

Before he could make his way out of the station, passengers from the next train entered the station at rapid pace as if forming a stampede. As if he was nothing but a nuisance, members of the stampede repeatedly bumped into him without consideration, causing him to fall over and drop the container he tried so very hard to protect.

To make matters worse, the container fell face down and right under his chest as he himself fell as well.

"Ugh!" he grunted. Realizing what his chest had touched when he fell, he quickly stood back up and flipped the container over. He didn't need to know much else as he saw the once clear plastic lid now smeared with white cream.

Despair overcame him as what was once supposed to be the perfect birthday present was no more.

His eyebrows furrowed as he laid eyes on the passengers that had ruined everything. To nobody's surprise, they didn't look back. They were too lost in their own worlds to care. Regardless, it didn't stop him from burning their backs with his glare.

"Cheer up Joker!" Morgana said, emerging from his bag, "It could've been worse! Like the plastic container flying off and the cakes getting dirty!"

Despite his feline companion's poor attempt at consolation, Ren had to admit he had a point. It might've not been the ideal situation, but it had a chance of becoming worse.

Ren sighed once again, dusting himself off before heading to his destination. No point in mulling over it now. He had a place to be, and he couldn't afford to be late.

* * *

Ann sighed, throwing her head back and staring at the ceiling of the school. As Shujin Academy' school festival was near, students rushed back and forth between classrooms hoping to find ideas of what they were to do. Despite the lively atmosphere, feelings of emptiness washed over her, keeping her mind absent from the outside world. Suddenly, her phone chimed, signaling a text.

 _Yo! Cafe Leblanc later at 5! Don't be late!_

Right. She had almost forgotten.

It was the first get-together in a while after Makoto and Haru had graduated from the Academy. Despite their numerous attempts to reconnect, both Makoto and Haru found themselves too busy to leave their studies, leaving only Ann, Ryuji, Yusuke, and Futaba. It wasn't to say it was any less fun...well, maybe it was. After all they had gone through together, it just felt weird to go about life knowing they couldn't always be together.

 _Especially him._

Scrolling through her phone, she tapped on a particular contact and went over the messages they had sent last.

 _Sorry Ann...just wanted to let you know I won't be able to come down this week. School's been killing me lately along with entrance exams-_

She dared not read the rest for fear she might break down again. It might not have been his fault, but after all she had done to visit him during their third year, it still hurt knowing he couldn't return the favor.

It was as if she was being…

She shook her head wildly and scratched her head at a pace that made her head burn. She needed to stop thinking about this. To get her mind off of everything.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself out of her seat and headed towards the cafe.

Even in the outside world the atmosphere was lively. There seemed to be a certain energy in the air as she observed those around her. Smiles suddenly adorned the faces of everyone around her. She wanted it to stop. The smiles, the excited voices, the bright lights, the fact they they were being happy without her, she wanted to escape everything. To escape the overwhelming feelings of isolation she had first experienced earlier in her life.

Quickly picking up her pace, he accelerated from a walk to a jog and eventually to a run. She needed to get away from this. From everything.

The sights moved past her as she continued running. She wasn't sure if she was heading in the right direction as the buildings she ran past seemed foreign to her, but it didn't matter as her muscle memory still led her to the same place. From the outside, the cafe seemed quiet and dimly lit as it always did and soon Ann found her heart settling for the first time that day. Without wasting a beat, she opened the door ready for some peace of mind.

"SURPRISE!"

The vibrations from the voices rippled through her body, forcing her to take a few steps back and lean on one of the tables for support.

"Geez, you guys!" she said, flashing them an annoyed glare. Within the cafe stood nearly all of her old companions, though there were noticeable appearance changes. Futaba now sported a Shujin Academy uniform with her blazer being worn in the same manner as she often wore her coats. Haru's hair had elongated and was tied into a ponytail and she sported a pink dress over what looked like a purple thermal shirt and black leggings. Makoto's change was the most shocking of all as she also sported long hair, though this time it was left untied and flowed naturally down to her back. That said, the biggest change came from her attire, where she no longer wore the Shujin uniform she wore so often during their meetings. This time it was a simple long-sleeved shirt along with rolled-up jeans and sneakers, a sharp contrast to "prim and proper" attitude she seemed to put into her attire when she was still a Shujin Academy student.

Ryuji and Yusuke were...well, still Ryuji and Yusuke. Nothing to note there.

Once again smiles were plastered all over their faces, doing little to alleviate her annoyance. Combine that with being unrepentant for throwing her off…

She sighed.

What did a girl have to do to despair in peace?!

Still, she knew it was wrong of her to bring everyone down when she hardly knew what was going on. Forcing a smile, she waved her hands in an attempt to calm everything down before asking her questions. It took a while, but eventually the silence she desired came.

"Alright guys, I'll bite. What's going on?"

"What? You telling us you forgot your birthday?" Futaba exclaimed in mock shock, cupping her face.

Oh right, her birthday. Huh...strange that she'd forget it now of all times. So that's what got them gathering.

Desperately scanning the crowd, she took in every detail she could hoping she could find at least one sign of the person she'd hoped would be there. Unfortunately, there was no sign of messy black hair or glasses in sight. Not even a cat.

Of course, life hardly ever went one's way.

" _So it wasn't a lie…_ " she lamented.

"Well then, now that the birthday girl is here, I suppose it's time we bring out the cakes?" Yusuke chimed in.

"Damn right!" Ryuji replied, heading into the back room of the cafe and pushing something out.

Wait...cakes? As in plural?

Without warning, a large box suddenly covered her field of vision. It was red and striped with white. Without saying a word, all the members mentioned for her to open it. She rolled her eyes. No doubt it was something unnecessarily extravagant.

Deciding to humor them, she walked towards the box, realizing how tall it was up close. What could it have been? It wasn't like there was anything she wanted that could've been this tall. Though she sincerely wished these weren't the cakes she was promised. Pushing the lid open, an even taller figure emerged.

Ann's heart skipped a beat as she took in his familiar features. His black-framed glasses and messy black hair were the same that they had always been. He looked slightly sheepish as he presented her a plate of red velvet cupcakes topped with cream cheese frosting and berry oreos.

"Happy 18th, Ann." he smiled, looking back down at the cupcakes. "I know they look kinda bad, but I promise they were perfect when I first left the house. There were some...unfortunate events."

Ann found herself choking on her words as she struggled to find a reply. Her breathing suddenly became hitched every time she tried to force something out of her mouth.

"Ann?" her boyfriend asked, turning his head to the side and setting the cupcakes aside.

Forgoing her words, she fought back tears and rushed forward to embrace him.

* * *

 **And by "embrace", she means tackle to the ground and kiss shamelessly.**


	5. Comfort

**Hello again! A big thanks to those who favorited and followed while I was away from this story!**

 **A suggestion, make sure you're reading this alone and in a place where nobody can look over your shoulder, or not if you're a rebel or whatever.**

* * *

 _Ren..._

It was that voice again. The same voice that had suddenly invaded her mind the day _it_ happened and had never left since. She wondered what this..."Ren" meant. Was it a name? Some kind of thing? It meant nothing to her, yet there was a peculiar feeling of emptiness that accompanied the word every time it came to her head. If she had to guess, maybe she wanted it to mean something. Maybe she wanted it to be the key to waking up from this nightmare.

It felt as if invisible leg weights had been attached to her ankles as she walked forward. Her steps were slow and despite walking within a slow-moving line, it seemed like a miracle that her feet hadn't left any visible footprints onto the wooden floor. Before she knew it, she found herself at the front of the line watching an unknown family member wipe away her tears as she finished saying her goodbyes. Realizing it's now her turn, Ann kneels down slowly, uncaring of the fact that she was delaying the line behind her. A slight dark smile made its way onto her face as she did so. They could complain all they want, but she wasn't going to speed things up for _them_. If extra credit was all they were going to see this as, then they deserved every inconvenience that came their way.

She forces out a shaky breath for at least some clarity of mind. Despite her anger, that wasn't why she was here.

It takes some time for her knees to touch the ground, but even as they do, she finds her eyes frozen. Her heart rate quickens as she realizes what she must do next. Steeling herself, she forces her eyes to move to the right.

 _Ren..._

 _Ren…_

 _Ren..._

" _Shut up."_ she thinks, desperately trying to silence the voice within her head.

Ann feels her heart thud against her chest as her best friend enters her line of vision. Her eyes gradually move further right until they reach the end, the only part not covered by the blanket. She first takes notice of Shiho's face. It's pale and skinny, as if she hadn't been eating for the past few days. Knowing the events that had transpired before, Ann knows it isn't too far-fetched of a claim.

Strangely enough, despite her unhealthy face, Shiho's face is peaceful. Her eyelids and mouth were closed in a natural manner and her expression was soft. Almost happy. It was as if she was rejoicing and taking solace in being free.

Ann clenches her fists as everything comes crashing down on her. She cursed at whatever deities were watching as she suffered. First it was her parents, then the judgemental looks at school, and now...

The realization that she had been left behind by her best friend.

The whispers from those behind her.

The fact that even _he_ had the audacity to attend.

It all just too damn much!

Even though she felt she had already dried her eyes that morning, tears still made their way to her eyes. Ann covered her mouth as she hurriedly rushed out of the home, desperate to find any way of escape.

 _Ren..._

 _Ren…!_

 _REN!_

OoOoOo

She wonders what the hell she was even thinking, putting in the effort to go to school. Everywhere she went, people went about their daily lives. A fellow student had just died, yet they still had the gall to act like it was just some minor inconvenience. Students laughed and chattered, and while the teachers said a word or two, it was easy to tell those words came from the front office and payroll rather than their own mouths.

Even _he_ was shameless enough to act mournful before wishing students another good day. Worst of all, those who were close _knew_ , yet they said nothing. They did nothing.

Originally, she had planned on resting her arms and head down on the desk the entire day to avoid being bothered. Of course, the deities loved making it obvious they had it out for her.

The whispers. They were too loud. Infuriating, even.

"What do you think happened?"

"I heard she was in a relationship with one of the teachers…"

"I think they broke it off. Maybe she wanted attention…"

"Tch. Talk about a bitch…"

Shut up.

Shut up!

SHUT UP!

Those assholes, they knew Shiho was her best friend yet they continued talking as if they didn't even care that she was here. It was as if they _wanted_ her to hear them.

Ann slammed her palms down on her desk as she rose, making sure it was heard throughout the room. Silence quickly followed as she eyed each and every student in the classroom, noting their dumbfounded looks. They knew nothing, yet had the gall to act like they did even after attending her funeral.

Scenarios of murder and torture ran rapidly through her head. The things she wanted to do to them...but couldn't do so without causing more trouble for herself.

Realizing her powerlessness in the situation, she stormed out of the classroom without a word. It was pathetic. Useless, even but it was all she knew she could do.

"What's her problem?"

"Don't know…probably just another attention seeker."

 _Ren…_

It came again, and Ann gripped her head as she hurried out of the classroom and up the stairs of the school building. Walls and steps seemed to multiply the further up she went and for some reason the end seemed nowhere near in sight. It was as if the deities were further torturing her by forcing her legs to keep moving.

 _Ren…_

 _Ren…!_

" _SHUT! UP! Stop getting into my head! Just leave me alone!"_

It wasn't until she reached the school roof that she allowed any part of her to settle. Placing her back against the wall, she dropped to the floor and sobbed. She curled herself into a ball as she did so, desperate to keep some part of herself together.

" _Why? Why had it come to this? Why Shiho?"_

She looked up to the skies hoping that some deity out there would give her an explanation, or better yet, end it then and there. A small act of kindness to at least provide some sort of balance to all the misfortunes forced upon her.

 _Ren_ …

But really, who was she kidding?

She sighed, letting out a breath she wasn't even aware she was holding. She had already made the mistake of attending school. Might as well tough things out until the day's end.

Just as she began to stand up, darkness suddenly enveloped her line of view. Looking up, she noticed something or someone of considerable height blocking the sun. It took a few seconds for her eyes to focus, but when they did, she immediately wished she had gotten away much earlier.

Those annoying curly locks...

That smug look…

"No…"

Without a word, the school's PE teacher immediately forced her back against the wall. Grasping the opportunity within the small moment of shock, he immediately locked both her hands within his grip.

She let out a shocked gasp as the wind was knocked out of her, causing her to wheeze as she found herself pinned.

Her heart rate skyrocketed as she hastily searched for a means of escape, but despite struggling to wriggle her way out of the perpetrator's grasp, she only found herself pinned further into the wall.

"You know, hanging out on the school roof is against the rules."

His predatory and lustful aura made her hairs stand on end. She could feel the overwhelming fear flowing through her veins, sending her entire body into overdrive.

Before she could cry for help, the PE teacher clasped her mouth with his other hand along with using his feet to pin her own, leaving her completely defenseless.

"Better not make any noise if you know what's good for you, you little whore."

 _Ren…!_

"...!"

"Heh...for what it's worth, your friend was a nice girl. But like anything else, we all have to move on eventually, right?"

" _You...son of a bitch!"_

She dug her nails into his wrist in hopes that he'd succumb to the pain and let go. Unfortunately, it only tightened his grip over her.

"Feisty, aren't ya? I like that. Let's have some fun, shall we?"

Kamoshida's smirk turned into a full predatory smile as his hand made its way down to her waist.

" _Wait! What are you doing?! Stop! Stop it, please!"_

"Try not to give up too quickly, yeah?"

This was it, then?

This was how her life was going to end?

This was how she was to be remembered?

Just another one of his victims? A loner at school who supposed got what she deserved? Simply a small chapter in society, never to be remembered?

 _Ren…!_

 _Ren…!_

 _REN...!_

Just as he made his way down to her waist, the PE teacher then switched hands, using his right hand to pull down his pants while his left was used to grip her neck. While his attention was brought back to his waist, Kamoshida's grip over her mouth loosened a tiny fraction.

Just enough for her to scream.

 _RENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENRENREN!_

Unable to bear it any longer, she finally cried out the name.

" **REN!"**

Suddenly, the world started to collapse around her. Darkness tore through all her surroundings, and she tightly shut her eyes and screamed as she felt herself falling deeper and deeper within the abyss.

Just as quickly as it came, the falling sensation disappeared. A soft surface on her back suddenly sprang Ann's body up, bringing back awareness to her surroundings.

Realizing her body was free she immediately gripped her neck and gasped for air, desperate to regain all the oxygen she had lost.

It wasn't there anymore. The feeling of a tight throat and covered mouth.

 _He_ wasn't there anymore.

Ann flailed aimlessly in hopes of confirming that everything around her was still real. Tapping the soft surface she felt herself sitting on, she recognized the familiar feeling of her cushioned bed. As her arms and legs scoured the bed, she felt a familiar thin cotton blanket wrapped around her legs. Running her hands through her body, she realized she was no longer in her school uniform but her pajamas.

She was back in her room.

Finally able to hear her own gasps and wheezes, she gripped her head in an attempt to focus. To see if the voice would return.

It didn't.

"Ren?" she whispered into the darkness.

Memories of a man suddenly flooded her head. The man who had listened to her shortcomings and comforted her when she felt powerless. The man who showed how someone like her could make a difference and fought beside her to right society's wrongs. The man who accepted her, never judged her for her appearance and gave light to her life. The same man who had inspired her to become a woman worthy of his love.

This was Ren.

But...something was wrong. This feeling of loneliness didn't feel right. Having remembered everything, it made sense for Ren to be sleeping by her side, right? But if that was the case, why was she alone?

It couldn't have been...that he left her, could it?

No...no...NO!

"Ren?" Ann called, hoping there'd be some kind of response.

Nothing.

No...please. _Please…_

"Ren?" she called out again, uncaring that her voice was shaky and displaying her desperation. She needed to see him. To make sure he was real and that everything in that nightmare wasn't.

When no response came, she had finally confirmed what she really was.

Alone.

* * *

Ren squinted his eyes as he felt his cheek pressed against a hard, unfamiliar surface. Rising slowly to give himself room to turn, he felt his tongue slightly brush over the hard surface, and winced as a strange, woody bitterness made itself known to his taste buds.

 _Blech. What'd I even do that for?_

A peculiar sound made itself known to his ears as he turned himself over. It was full of whimpers and sniffles. Was someone crying?

He fumbled around aimlessly, searching for his glasses. Within darkness, any sort of clarity was a necessity before he allowed himself to open up to the rest of the world.

Feeling something wooden and vertical, he cautiously traced his hands up the strange pole until he found hands under another flat surface. Based on the design, it was definitely the nightstand, which meant his glasses were just on top.

Concluding that he had fallen off the bed and onto the floor, Ren adjusted himself into a position suitable for standing and propelled himself upwards.

 _ ***THUD***_

"Gah!"

Feeling a thin wooden surface pound on his head as he stood up, Ren dropped back onto the floor, gripping the back of his head while pounding the floor in anger. Pain within darkness while still groggy was a very poor way to wake up, and Ren found himself cursing at anything and everything as he squirmed from the pain. Before he could finish cursing the pain away, he heard a gasp.

"Ren? Ren?!" a female voice called out.

The voice sounded shaky and full of worry, almost as if the person was speaking through tears. To those unfamiliar, the voice might have been a tad difficult to discern, but not for Ren.

"Ann?" he replied.

"Ren!"

He could hear the bed squeak repeatedly along with her rapid breathing. Doing his best to navigate through the darkness, he approached slowly. The moment he felt his knee bump into the bed frame, he bent down and gently placed his hands atop the mattress, scanning the surface for his lover . Before he knew it, their hands brushed over one another and it didn't take long for Ann to find him again and grip him tight. As soon as he felt his arm being grabbed, he found himself being pulled in and enveloped in Ann's entire body.

"Ren! Oh Ren…!" she wailed.

Returning her embrace, he gently wrapped his arms around her torso as he nuzzled into her sweaty neck. He could feel her tears staining his shirt as she buried herself further into him, causing him to tighten his embrace to accumulate for her shrunken size.

In the middle of their embrace, the man felt his lover's nails dig into his back as if trying to hook herself onto him.

"Where were you?" she whispered harshly.

Her voice was shaking, but this time in anger. Ren could feel her fingernails further curving into his back, forcing him to elicit a sharp wince.

"I called for you...and you didn't answer back!"

A short moment of relief was felt when he felt her releasing a hand from his back only to end as she used it to pound on his chest instead.

"You...jerk…! I hate you! I hate you! I...I..."

Whispering sweet nothings into her ear as he stroked her untied hair, he felt her sobs gradually settling into small whimpers. Freeing one of his hands from her, Ren clumsily navigated the bed they shared and reached for his glasses atop the nightstand. Realizing that pounding his head had caused it to move, he sighed exasperatedly as he forced himself to let go of her while he fumbled once again for his glasses. After hastily putting them on he then reached for the shutters and pushed the panels forward, allowing for the moonlight to illuminate their room.

Seeing Ann clearly, Ren marveled as she shined in the moonlight and approached her shaking figure slowly as he returned to wrapping his arms around her. Ann once again shrunk in his embrace as if trying to shelter herself from the darkness. Her whimpers persisted, though this time they were less frequent. Taking a good look at her, Ren noticed several red crescent marks along her forearms.

He felt Ann's grip on his shirt tightened as he slightly released his hold on her. It was only when she realized he was examining her forearms did she too let go, turning away in shame. Worry and sorrow choked her heart as she realized the things she had said and done earlier.

"I'm sorry…" she said, hoping he'd realize it wasn't just for the nail marks.

"Don't be…" he replied, softly pressing his lips over each of the red crescents. Ren started off low, and moved upwards with every kiss until he reached her face. Despite the circumstances, Ren couldn't help but smile. Even drenched in sweat, he still found Ann to be the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and considered himself lucky to be worthy. Sometimes he didn't even know if he even _was_ worthy.

Closing his eyes, Ren softly pressed his lips over Ann's cheeks, making sure to remove the diamonds that had refused to fall from her face.

"Will you tell me what happened?" he whispered.

It was simply a question of condolence. He knew she'd tell him regardless of if he had asked, but he asked anyway to show that he cared. To show that whatever she wanted to say, he was willing to listen.

Ann returned to wrapping her arms around Ren, her hold significantly softer than before as he felt her palms touching his back this time.

"You were gone..." she started.

"Gone?" he replied.

"I forgot who you were… and Shiho died...and Kamoshida...I...I…"

He could hear Ann rapidly lose control of her breathing as she started recalling her dream and once again he felt her nails dig into his skin. Ren, in turn, returned her embrace.

"I'm sorry." he whispered as he slowly stroked her blonde locks. "I didn't mean to bring it back up."

Ann didn't answer back, but he knew she had already forgiven him. Given all they had been through together, things like these didn't hurt at all. If anything, it was a sign of their ever-growing love.

After several minutes of embrace, Ren brought Ann back out into the moonlight. Wiping away the diamonds that were once again falling down her face, he smiled. It some ways it was an act of comfort and in others, an act of appreciation. He tried his best to convey it to her, but no matter how hard he tried Ren didn't think she'd ever be able to understand his gratitude. To have someone stand by your side even when the world turned against you, to have that very same someone fight for your innocence and welcome you with open arms as you returned to her.

No.

He didn't think she'd ever understand.

Unable to bear it any longer, Ren swiftly closed the distance between them until their faces were mere centimeters apart.

"May I?" he asked out of courtesy.

"Please…" she begged, obviously sharing his feelings of longing.

Without wasting another second, Ren brought their lips together. He moved his tongue about wildly while within her mouth, making sure to savor the sweet taste he could never tire of. Ann moaned as she went about doing the same, pushing herself against him in an attempt to make him submit. Their tongues repeatedly touched and intertwined as they fought for dominance while turning their heads sideways to deepen the kiss. Both of their moans increased in volume as they started incorporating new tricks into their arsenal, with Ann adding small bites to Ren's lips while Ren varied his tongue speed by starting off slowly before attacking her with rapid twists and suctions. The process repeated several times until both lovers could bear it no longer and brought themselves apart to regain oxygen. A thin strand of saliva connected their lips as they slowly moved apart.

Ren smirked as Ann coughed a few times in the middle of deep breaths.

 _I win again!_

She eyed him in irritation as he smirked at her. Still, the look of longing refused to leave her face. It wasn't enough for her.

And neither was it enough for him.

Ann then hastily removed her sweaty T-shirt, giving Ren ample opportunity to admire her bare torso. Her chest may have been one thing, but Ren wasn't shallow enough to only love on part of her body.

"Mmm...you like that don't you?" Ann moaned, using one hand to cover her breasts while using the other to trace her body from her chest down to the region between her legs. She smirked as she noticed Ren's eyebrows furrow. It was always a delight to force him out of his calm and collected attitude and have him fall prey to his desires.

" _Guh!"_

Ren grit his teeth as he felt his growing member pulsating, his boxers unable to handle its size. He had to admit, if she tried, he was sure Ann would be able to bring millions of men to their knees without ever touching them.

 _How could a woman be so beautiful?_

Still, he wasn't going to lose. He was the Joker, and he was going to make his Panther purr.

"You're such a bad girl…" he whispered.

Ann smiled devilishly, a look that made it seem like her nightmares were all but forgotten. "And what're you gonna do about it? Punish me?"

"Is that a challenge?"

"You tell me…"

Returning her smile, Ren crawled forward until their faces were mere centimeters apart once again. He watched carefully as Ann slowly closed her eyes and brought herself forward. Seizing the opportunity, Ren moved to the side and attacked her neck while capturing her breasts within his large hands.

Ann's breaths hitched and her entire body stiffened as he moved about kissing and licking her neck in an agonizingly slow journey downward. Ann, in return, embraced Ren in a bone-crushing hug with strength that betrayed the look of her arms.

"Ren…!" she moaned in between breaths.

Ren flicked and rubbed his lover's erect nipples several times as he moved downward, his ever-growing member forcing him to move at an increased pace. Finally approaching the nipples, he wasted no time in capturing them with his mouth. Sucking hard, he felt Ann's nails claw into his neck while her back arched in pleasure. Ann's moans further increased in volume as he gave love to both cherries while rubbing his covered member over her tiny folds.

"That all you got?" she said in between deep breaths. Lifting his head, he smiled as he observed Ann's breasts heaving along with her hands tightly gripping the bed sheets. Try as she might, Ren wasn't about to be fooled. She was enjoying this.

And so was he.

Clenching his teeth, he positioned his face over her chest and continued his barrage of kisses from her chest, then to her stomach. As he reached her sweetest spot, he felt Ann's legs brush against his head as she brought them up, inviting him to feast on it in all its glory. His heart beating in excitement, he felt his boxers tighten once more as he inched closer and instead attacked her thigh.

"Ren…!" Ann cried out, unable to handle his cruelty.

Down on her thigh, he nibbled at her flesh while slowly moving upward to her arousal but never quite reaching it.

"Ren, stop teasing!" Ann moaned loudly, using her hands in an attempt to force him into her slit.

Ren chuckled as latched on both her thighs to anchor himself. The tightness around his waist was becoming more and more unbearable, but he wasn't about to stop. Not until she submitted.

Ann's thighs buckled, locking Ren in place and forcing him to move forward. Slowly removing her wet panties, he found himself unable to hold back his grin as he feasted his eyes on her core.

She was so _wet._

Both lovers locked eyes for a brief moment, with Ren slowly tracing Ann's opening as she eyed him with longing and desperation. Closing his eyes, the former Joker started by kissing her folds slowly before licking her slit, earning a long shudder from the Panther. Moving up to her clit, Ren wasted no time in sucking the small nub like a baby needing its mother's milk. All kinds of erotic noises escaped Ann's mouth as he did so, and he dared say he nearly came without even touching his own member. Moving down to her entrance, Ren immediately pierced her core with his tongue, causing Ann to squirm wildly with repeated thrusts.

"No...No, please..." she panted. "Not with that…"

"Oh?" Ren paused, removing his tongue and positioning himself over her. "What do you want then? Tell me."

"I want it…"

"Want what?" he teased, moving hand down to his waist. Truthfully, it took all of his strength and willpower not to rip his pants and fuck her like there was no tomorrow, but he still had one more thing left to do. Still, he rubbed it a little in an effort to settle it to some degree. Things were getting painful with how large it had grown, and small part of him marveled at how his boxers hadn't ripped yet.

"I want it…!" she exclaimed loudly.

"Alrighty then…"

Pretending to undo his boxers, Ren gave a devilish grin as Ann eyed him in anticipation. As he rediscovered her entrance, Ren slowly slid a finger in, using one to thrust in and out while using his thumb to play with her clit. Ann's eyes widened at the sudden feeling of ecstasy but they quickly lost their light as she realized something was wrong. This wasn't what she wanted.

"No...No…!" she cried out in anguish. "Not that!"

"You want more?" Ren sighed. "You're so hard to please…"

Instead of easing her in, the raven-haired man instead went straight to three fingers. Ann squealed and threw her head back at the sudden attack, arching her back as if being injected with waves of pleasure. Her body shook even more wildly as Ren took to curling his fingers, feeling her walls wrap around his skin.

"No! Ren, stop it!" Ann cried as she wrapped her legs around his waist. "Give it to me!"

He lowered himself as he continued fingering Ann until he was next to her ear, revelling in how she shook as he breathed into her ear.

" _ **No.**_ _"_ he whispered. It was a soft whisper, not hard or with any authority, yet hearing the simple two-letter word was enough for the Panther's entire being to despair.

"Why?" she whispered shakily? "Please…"

"Didn't I say you were a bad girl? What makes you think a bad girl like you deserves it?" Ren asked, increasing his speed, emitting several "schlucks" and splashes.

He felt Ann tighten her grip over him as he sent her dangerously close to climax. Her eyes were tightly shut as is she was forcing herself to hold back. "I'm sorry! I won't be bad anymore!"

"Beg for it."

His fingers continued dancing, barely allowing her to make out a coherent sentence.

"Ren, please…!"

"What was that? I couldn't quite hear you."

Channeling all her desperation, love, and desire, Ann yelled.

"DAMMIT REN! PULL OUT YOUR DICK AND FUCK ME ALREADY!"

Capturing her lips once again, Ren pulled down his boxers as he kept Ann occupied. His attention was then drawn to her illuminated body as he pulled away. Her wavy blonde hair, her slender but shapely figure, her large but not oversized breasts and her defined hips. Such images of him plowing his lover and seeding her along with her carrying his children sent his heart into a frenzy.

Her lips curved upward at the sight of his toned body, and Ann grabbed her legs and pulled them back, inviting Ren to take her. She wiggled her hips, letting Ren know she was ready and _begging_ to be mated.

Ren would've been remiss to deny any of his Panther's needs.

Despite his overwhelming excitement, Ren approached her entrance slowly and paused the moment he felt the tip of his cock kiss her entrance. Eyeing his lover, he noticed her once seductive look swiftly replaced by one of nervousness and worry. Her felt her muscles tighten, as if bracing for the pain that was soon to follow. Neither of the two were any strangers to sex, albeit the amount of times they had done the deed could still be counted on one hand.

In that moment, both she and Ren travelled back to both their very first times. It was during the end of their second year of highschool within the attic of Cafe Leblanc. Ren was confident and she was nervous, yet she had still resolved to take charge as she wanted to do something for him to make up for the time he spent in juvenile hall. Things moved about slowly with her not knowing what to do and Ren being overly considerate for fear of hurting her. Miraculously they both somehow wound up satisfied without Ann getting hurt, although Morgana wasted no time in reprimanding them for taking so long.

Things had become a little better for them during the subsequent times, though it was only after hours of preparation on both their ends. Both had admitted to it not long after, much to each other's chagrin.

This time, things were different. There was no preparation, no new techniques.

Just pure love.

"Hold me." Ann whispered softly.

Ren complied, bending over as he intertwined his own fingers with hers.

"Let me know if it hurts, okay?" he asked.

Ann nodded as she bit her lip, inciting Ren to push forward. Ren pushed in slowly and gasped and let out a light groan soon after as he felt her ridges tightly wrap themselves around his member. Ann instead let out a loud gasp and nervous expression quickly replaced with one of pleasure as the feeling shot through her veins.

"Does it hurt?" Ren asked, forcing himself to stop halfway out of consideration for her.

Without giving a verbal answer Ann used her heels and pushed Ren's waist forward, forcing the rest of his length into her. In that second, Ren felt he had died and gone to heaven. A heaven of soft, undulating flesh that quivered around his entrapped cock. Black and white specks flew around his field of vision as his head fell backwards.

Ann's moans bringing him out of his stupor, he looked down to see the devilish smile return to her face once again. Her eyes fluttered, inviting him for another thrust and challenging him to last longer than her. Ren bit his lip in an attempt to release some of the tension that had been building up for far too long. No way was he about to lose this battle.

Slowly pulling back he felt Ann's walls tightly rub against him, begging him to cum before another thrust. Just as he felt his tip exit her he thrusted again, going deeper and feeling the familiar nub that was her cervix.

"AAAHHHH!" Ann yelled, arching her back. Seizing the opportunity Ren once again buried his face in her breasts, licking and sucking on the erect cherries as he continued pounding her at an increased pace with every thrust.

"Oh…! Ah…! Ah…! Ren…!"

Her yells echoed throughout their room, masking the sounds of his groans along with the sounds of skin repeatedly smacking against each other. Ann was never shy about being loud. It was a fact that surprised both her and Ren the first time they had done the deed. While there was the option of being considerate to the neighbors and letting them sleep, she felt the act being nothing short of ridiculous. She didn't care if they knew. She _wanted_ them to know. The fact that the man who saved all of Japan from one egotistical maniac with a god complex was hers and that she belonged to him. She wanted to yell it out to the world.

Ren felt himself harden with each thrust, his climax imminent. In an effort to turn the pleasure to the max, Ren wrapped his arms around Ann's waist and mustered all his strength to lift her off the bed. Ann yelped as she found herself being forcefully lifted only to moan loudly once again as she felt herself drop back down on his dick.

Grabbing both her cheeks for support, Ren thrusted upwards in almost animalistic fashion. Moans louder than Ren had ever heard escaped from Ann's mouth as she bounced up and down, clenching her fists as he drove her over the edge.

"Ren…!" she moaned. "I'm almost there! I'm gonna...cum!"

She was close.

But he was closer.

"Me too…!"

A small part of him paused as he approached his climax, urging him to stop before things got dangerous.

As he eased his pace, Ann felt her blood freeze in fear of him not giving her his love. Cupping his face, she gave the fiercest look she could.

"Don't you _dare_ ever think about cumming outside." she whispered. "Give it to me."

Heeding her words, Ren nodded and gave her everything he had. Loud and wet smacking sounds filled up the room once again as he continued ramming her at an unbelievably fast pace, desperate to orgasm. Moving his head closer, he noted her lustful look before positioning his lips right beside Ann's ear.

"I love you."

In that moment, Ann threw her head back as she felt her body convulse. Vibrations rang throughout her body as she reached her climax, excreting clear liquids onto Ren's body. Colors blended and bursted together like a kaleidoscope as she felt the world around her crashed upon her as she orgasmed.

Despite orgasming, Ren continued his merciless thrusts. Fresh from orgasm, Ann's heightened sensitivity sent her over the edge with pleasure as she felt her second climax approaching.

Slowing his pace, Ren once again brought himself down from her until his tip was nearly showing only to viciously thrust back in again. Giving a few more powerful thrusts, Ren climaxed.

"OOOOOOHHHHHHH!" he shouted in pleasure, pushing in his dick as far as possible as he ejaculated into his lover's womb.

"OOOHHHHHHHH! REEEEEEENNNNNNN!" Ann shouted in response, feeling herself orgasm a second time.

He felt several bursts of white fluid being wrung out of his dick with Ann's wet warmth squeezing out every last bit that his balls could offer.

Ann slightly went cross-eyed as she felt herself being filled with Ren's love, losing control of her entire body as pleasure overwhelmed her. Using what little strength and energy she had left, she bucked her hips, forcing Ren to lose further control of himself as he used every bit of his strength to gently lay her back down on their bed.

Ren slowly removed his limp dick from her, noting her convulsing pussy pushing a small amount of the semen that he had filled her with. Utterly spent, he removed his sweaty t-shirt and dropped onto the bed beside her. Ann slowly moved beside her lover, wrapping her arms around his naked body and pulling him into a deep kiss.

"You were…so _amazing_." she whispered, resting her head on his chest.

Ren smiled at the compliment.

"Thanks. You were great too."

Both lovers slowly closed their eyes, exhaustion and fatigue quickly taking over them and sending them back to sleep.

* * *

 **HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BOY. That was fun, albeit tiring. Hope y'all are satisfied and smiling like me cause I need to...zzzzzzzzz.**


	6. When there's a will

**I'm still alive! Hope you guys enjoy.**

* * *

It felt like a slap in the face, hearing the news. High school was finally over, and she and Ren had so many plans for the rest of spring and summer. There were things they wanted to do, places they wanted to go, foods they wanted to try…all the plans they had made together before they went their separate ways in college were crushed just from a few words from her parents.

"We're moving to L.A."

For the first few minutes she stood frozen, silently watching as her parents immediately started cleaning the house of their things. The manner in which they moved around the house was lifeless, sparing not one second to glance at their stunned daughter. Of course they didn't; they didn't know a thing. All she had done with the Phantom thieves, all she had to endure…

She clenched her fists, angry at how often they made her feel like unwanted baggage. Angry as she was, she was forced to let go of her anger when confronted with the facts. It wasn't that her parents didn't love her; of course they did.

That's just how life was.

Was she giving up and resigning herself to her parents' whims? No, of course not. But she knew arguing with them would be pointless. If they decided to leave her alone in japan and force her into self-reliance, she knew she wouldn't last very long. Even with the money she made from her modeling gigs, there was too much she didn't know about being an adult for her to go about her life alone.

A buzz brought her out of her stupor. Reaching into her back pocket she examined her phone, a reminder of a "special" event that she was once excited for popped up on the screen reminding her not to forget about it. She let out a long sigh, regretting her decision to give into her curiosity.

Why did it have to be now when everything crashed down upon her?

Forcing herself to move her lead-weighted legs, she forced herself up the stairs and into her room. Plopping face down onto her bed, she let out another long sigh not wanting to do anything but sink into the cushions.

Still, she wasn't going to disappoint Ren like this. Grabbing out her phone, she sent out a message.

 _Are we still on for tomorrow?_

A reply came in a flash.

 _Definitely._

* * *

Walking through the train station suddenly felt like a chore as she navigated through the gates. Her eyes scanned the crowd lazily, and she desperately prayed Ren would not be around so she could go home without a word. Fortunately (or unfortunately) she found Ren sitting on one of the benches, browsing his phone and unaware his girlfriend's face was just a few inches away. She stood still for a while, watching him browse his phone without a care in the world. She was sure he was in the clouds now that the day of the trip had come, considering they had planned this months ago. She had to admit she was a little jealous seeing him this happy while she remained an internal mess.

Maybe entertaining herself a little would alleviate some of this jealousy.

"Boo!"

Out of reflex Ren jumped and immediately swung his head back, unfortunately banging it against the wall.

"Sorry!" Ann grimaced, not expecting the wall to make a sound that loud. She cautiously approached her boyfriend as he rubbed the back of his head. "Did I make you wait long?"

"Not really." Ren replied, smiling as he stared into her turquoise orbs. "Only been here a few minutes."

Ann smiled too as she lost herself within his obsidian orbs. Memories of their time together flashed within her mind, starting from when they first met in the rain to now. She felt her rapidly-beating heart settle as she realized she'd always love the man before her. The feeling of comfort didn't last long, however, as she forced herself to look away. She took a deep breath as she prepared to execute her plan.

The plan was simple: tell him her situation, break up with him, apologize and walk away without looking back.

Simple, right?

She didn't know if this was the right thing to do, but it was certainly better than leading him on like this. Just as she opened her mouth, a loud horn sounded throughout the station, signalling another train approaching. Ann flashed a dirty look at the incoming train for interrupting her thoughts.

 _Could you not have come at a better time?! I'm having a crisis damn it!_

Before she could get her thoughts back together, Ren gently entwined his hand with hers and swiftly led her towards the platform.

"Here's the train. Let's go."

"A-Ah! Wait…!" she stumbled.

"Hm?" Ren turned back as he felt his girlfriend fall behind. "What is it? Is something the matter?"

Her thoughts now in shambles, Ann desperately scanned the inner parts of her head trying to remember what her original plan was; only to no avail.

"Um...er...n-nevermind! It seems like I totally forgot!" Ann let out an exaggerated laugh in ridicule of herself and in a desperate attempt to hide any of her ulterior motives. "We should hurry on and board the train!" she said, this time taking initiative and pulling Ren along.

Suddenly breaking up over the phone didn't sound like a bad idea anymore.

Ann watched in sadness as her boyfriend returned her smile, still oblivious to the events that had just transpired within her home. Would he still look at her the same way if she had told him then and there? She looked throughout the train, seeing another opportunity as there was hardly a soul around. Taking a deep breath and clenching her fists, she steeled her nerves and rehearsed what she was going to say.

 _I'll be moving to L.A soon. I don't know how long I'll be there, but I don't think I'll be returning anytime soon. I'm sorry._

Got it. Once they arrived at their destination, she'd say it fast enough to board the train before it left.

Turning to Ren, she observed the way he stared into the distance, never letting himself get distracted enough to let go of her. The moment his eyes met her again, he flashed his usual heart-stopping smile.

And in that moment the words Ann had willed herself to say caught her throat. She tried several times to force them out, although without avail.

"Is something the matter?" Ren asked again, this time slightly worried.

"N-No…" Ann finally managed to stutter.

Ren wasn't convinced however, and prodded further. "Are you not feeling well?"

And right on the mark he was. Ann, in her current state of mind, was certainly NOT feeling well at all.

 _No Ren, I'm not well at all! My parents are moving to L.A soon and I'll have to join them. I have to leave Japan behind, I have to leave Shiho behind, and I have to leave you behind! I'm trying so hard to tell you but I just can't! I don't know why but whenever I try something just...stops me! I don't want to leave! I want to stay here with everyone! With you! But I have no choice!_

It wasn't until Ren's grip on her hand tightened that she was brought out of her stupor, and she was once again forced to confront her worried boyfriend.

"Um.. I...I…" she stuttered, trying her damn hardest just to get everything over with.

It wasn't until Ren grabbed out a tissue and wiped her face that she realized she was crying. Without a word, he pulled her in and locked her in a tight embrace. Ann, grateful that nobody else was on the train to see her, dug deeper within his shirt as he did so, unable to stop her tears.

Ren remained silent as he rubbed her back and stroked her pigtails, doing his best to offer comfort. A wave of relief and comfort washed over Ann as she felt his strong arms wrap themselves around her. Somehow, even if she had to tell him the truth, she felt everything would be okay. Her mind now clear, she separated herself from him and rubbed her teary eyes dry. Ren's worried look still persisted, and he adjusted himself while holding her hand so they were face-to-face.

"Ann, if you're not well you just have to tell me. We can cancel this date and-"

"No! I'm fine, I promise. I just…" she looked at Ren once more, feeling her heart fill with love from all the memories they shared together. "I'm just happy you're in my life."

Ren looked down in an obvious attempt to hide his blush.

"Keep saying that and I might just put a ring on your finger." the former Joker whispered.

"I eagerly await the day." Ann purred, poking his nose.

Her mind now clear, she suddenly felt as if a weight had been lifted off her heart. Right, there were still several hours left in the day, who was she to tell him now and ruin it for the both of them? It was probably the last time they were going to do this.

And Ann would've been remiss to not let either of them enjoy it.

Reaching their destination, Ann grabbed Ren's hand and hurriedly led him deeper into the amusement park. She wanted to do all she could before this day ended.

"Let's hurry on in! There's so much to do here and not a lot of time!" she exclaimed.

While long lines were one of the many inconveniences that came with an amusement park during the summer, Ann wouldn't have wanted it any other way, especially for this day. The chaos that ensued from loud music, kids running around with their parents and employees in costume created an intoxicating atmosphere that quickly stripped her away of all her worries. Ren too found himself falling into the chaotic atmosphere as Ann led him around several souvenir stores to try on different accessories.

"How do I look?" Ann asked, sporting a pair of mouse ears atop her head.

"Beautiful as always." Ren replied, quickly snapping a photo of her with his phone before she had the chance to stop him.

"Hey, I wasn't ready!" Ann pouted.

"I know." Ren smiled, turning the screen her way, but keeping it far enough that it was out of her reach. "It's just you looked so cute I couldn't help it."

Ann sighed exasperatedly, shaking her head at the boy who always thought she looked her best even when she didn't. Where did he find the courage to be so honest? She sighed again, knowing she'd most likely be in love with him forever.

"Where to next?" Ren asked, entwining his hands with hers.

After having bought enough souvenirs the lunch hour came, shortening the lines to the roller coasters allowing them both to enjoy all the rides without having to suffer through a long wait. Ann was never really fond of fast-paced rides when she was younger; they made her heart race and scream at a volume she didn't care to admit but with Ren, things were different. Somehow, having someone scream atop his lungs alongside you just made things more bearable and even more enjoyable.

It was a feeling Ann promised herself she'd never forget.

By the time they had finished all the rides, the sun was beginning to set and people were finally beginning to head home.

"Well, we've been through all the rides. Is there anything else you want to do?" Ren asked, his hands now carrying bags of souvenirs.

"Hm…" Ann wondered, looking up at the sky and realizing it was nearly time. "Do you remember the first ride we went on together? As a couple?"

"The ferris wheel? Of course I do, I'll never forget."

Ann nodded. "Let's ride that again."

To their surprise, the line to the ferris wheel was surprisingly long with nearly every patron accompanied by a significant other. Looks like they weren't the only ones who had the idea. While a long line would typically annoy her, this time she was appreciative of the wait.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and reminisced all they had gone through together. Standing above Kamoshida, exposing Shido, saying goodbye to Shiho, so much had happened within a year and yet somehow it felt so short. Thoughts of leaving Japan invaded her mind again, and she knew she had to tell him before she left. Realizing the time was near, Ann rested her head on Ren's shoulder cherishing whatever time they had left together.

As she rested her head, she felt Ren's hand gently stroke her hair. Oh, how she'd dearly miss his touch...

Time passed without a word, but neither of them minded. Given the loud and chaotic atmosphere of the park, both found solace in whatever peace they could find. Soon enough, it became their turn to board. Ann, forcibly awakened by the approaching hums of the ferris wheel, wordlessly boarded the little capsule with her hand firmly entwined with Ren's. Both of them made themselves comfortable as they sat down after a long wait of standing. Ren let out an audible sigh as he sat beside her and stretched his back, exhausted from the day's events.

Ann clenched her hand, bracing herself for what she was about to say.

Just then, Ren turned and placed a gentle kiss atop her head.

"Thank you." he said.

Ann blinked in surprise. "For?"

"This." Ren gestured towards the area around them. "Y'know, before you and everyone else came into my life I never would've thought of doing any of this. Spending time at an amusement park with someone I love, talking about other plans over the summer, learning how to cook new kinds of foods and enjoying it…"

Ann's grip on her lover's hand tightened as he went on about the ways in which she had changed him. Each compliment felt like another needle making its way to her heart, prickling it as a grim reminder of what she'd have to do before the day ended. She tightly closed her eyes, wishing she had just a little bit more time. Time to tell him how much she loved him. Time to tell him how much he had changed _her._

Without thinking, she gripped Ren's hand tightly. Afraid that if she let go, he'd fly away from her.

"Ann? What's wrong?" Ren asked, softly holding her arms.

"Just stay here. Please?" she begged. She looked up to the ceiling of the little capsule they were in to distract herself from her feelings. No matter how hard she tried, she still couldn't stop her tears from falling.

Once again, Ren moved closer beside his lover and brought her head to his shoulders. Despite not knowing the reason why she was crying, he knew she'd tell him eventually.

It took Ann a while to get herself together, but when she did she still found herself fumbling over her words.

 _I have to say it. I have to say it now!_

"I'm leaving for the U.S soon." she finally forced out, her voice hardly above a whisper.

Even through the gentle hums of the ferris wheel, it sounded as if the world had gone quiet. The moment she blurted the first few words, everything that had been building up within her chest finally came out as if it were being released from a cage.

"My parents are moving to a newer branch in their company in California. They need to start work there within a few months. I'll have to go with them."

She thought she had already prepared for this, but even as the words came out her voice still sounded shaky and her heart continued beating faster.

She kept her eyes to the ceiling as she spoke, too afraid to see the look on Ren's face. Was he sad? Disappointed? She banished those thoughts as quickly as she could. Even if-no... _when_ it ended, she knew it'd hurt. She'd have to accept it sooner or later.

"...And I don't think I'll be returning anytime soon."

Thoughts of leaving her old life behind, her friends behind, it sent her mind into another frenzy, forcing another wave of tears to fall down her face.

"I wanted to stay...I wanted to stay with everyone. I wanted to live with you...to introduce you to my parents. But now I can't!"

"Oh Ann…" Returning her firm grip on his hands, Ren pulled her into another embrace. He held her close as he stroked her hair and rubbed circles on her back offering whatever comfort he could.

"I don't want to leave…!"

Despite trying his best to give comfort, Ren's mind drifted away as he stared into the distance, trying to process the new information. Thinking about it now, it was so obvious that he was remiss to not take into consideration the lives of her parents.

 _Of course she could've moved away. Her parents' work required them to travel._

But that didn't matter now. What mattered was what they were going to do.

Break up? No, that wasn't an option. Ending it like this would've been stomping on all they had gone through and built together.

Her tight grip bringing him back to the present, Ren's eyes filled with sorrow as he watched Ann cry in his arms. To go about her day faking a smile while carrying such heavy burdens. To go about the day in fear of what would happen to them. He couldn't even begin to fathom the feeling.

"It's going to be okay." he finally said.

Ann didn't move, but he could feel her listening as he spoke.

"We'll find a way to make this work."

It was a bold statement to make, especially as they were walking into the unknown. Who knew what things awaited their futures. Would either of them be too busy to devote time for the other? What about the timezones? Differing schedules and goals? So many obstacles were conspiring with distance to separate them.

But they'd find a way to make things work.

They always did.

* * *

 **Uggghhh...rotten timing I know. Especially with all the new content and interactions within P5R. Truth is I haven't really started Royal yet, I want to though, as I really want to incorporate several of its elements into my story but that's going to take some time. Still I hope knowing this didn't take away too much of your enjoyment of this chapter.**


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